Making a Murderer Update: Judge Orders Brendan Dassey to Be Released

Brendan Dassey will be released from prison following a judge’s order on Monday, according to NBC affiliate TMJ4. Dassey’s murder conviction was overturned in August; prosecutors plan to retry him, but Monday’s ruling means Dassey can go free pending the state’s appeal.

Dassey and his uncle Steven Avery were convicted in connection with the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach, a case chronicled in the Netflix true-crime documentary series Making a Murderer. The documentary exposed the questionable methods used by police to get a confession out of Dassey, and the Murderer footage was instrumental in overturning Dassey’s conviction.

As a condition of his release, Dassey is not allowed to have any contact with Avery or the Halbach family. Avery remains in prison after being given a life sentence for Halbach’s murder, but he told Dr. Phil last month that he expects to be released soon as well: “I don’t think that’ll be too long. Right around the corner.”

Making a Murderer will return for a second season on Netflix, and will address these new developments in the Steven Avery case.

Does Brendan Dassey deserve to go free? Hit the comments and give us your legal expertise.